CM says attack on church may be an attack to sabotage the peace process

Peshawar: Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pervez Khattak has said that incident of Kohati Church possibly be an attempt to sabotage the peace process adding that the incident occurred at the time when PM Nawaz Sharif will address the UN General Assembly.

“with this incident the image of Pakistan has been badly dented at international level. we would provide security to the worship places of all minorities,” Chief Minister said while talking to media while visiting the affected church on Tuesday.

Chief Minister Pervez Khattak said that Pakistan is in war for last one decades and still fighting the war therefore we have to find a way to solve the issue and end the war to restore peace as well as save the precious lives.

“We have lost the precious lives of our civilians and law enforcing personnels, our schools, hospitals , markets, mosques, church and all other places have been attacked; and now it is high time that we should give a chance to peace and try to resolve issues with peaceful means” he said.

He said that incident possibly be an attempt to sabotage the peace process. To a question Mr. Khattak said in the All Parties Conference , all political forces of the country had given mandate to the federal government to evolve a national policy against the menace of terrorism; and we are waiting for the same.

It is very pity that same political figures have used the incident of the church for political point scoring and instead of helping the affectees, have incited them to resort to violence; he lamented.

Earlier while addressing the Christian community during his visit to the church at Kohati Gate on Tuesday evening to attend the prayers congregation held to offer collective prayers for those who lost their lives in the tragic incident, he condemned the attack.

He said the tragic incident of church in Peshawar was on attack and crime not only against the Christian community but the whole nation and the entire humanity as well, it is brutality and barbarism on the part of the perpetrators to attack innocent worshipers in such an inhuman and brutal manner; adding that minorities are integral part of our national whole and it is our national as well as religious duty to protect the lives and assets of the minorities.

He said that unfortunately such incidents of terrorism had been occurring in the country and specially the province for the last one decade but the church incident was the most shocking and moving for him.

He expressed heartiest sympathies with the bereaved families and solidarity with Christian community. Mr. Khattak assured all out support to the effected families and said that the provincial government will leave no stone unturned to bring the perpetrators to justice. Both the Provincial and Federal government and the whole nation stand their Christian brothers in this difficult hour and equally share their grief; he added.

The Chief Minister also assured to provide full proof security to all worship places of all minorities so that such tragic incident could not happen in the future.

On this occasion Bishop Peter Hunphrey and other religious leaders of the Christian community thanked the chief minister and his companions for attending the prayer congregation to express solidarity with the community.